MATTA | Sans titre

Mme. Bourdon, Paris 
Private Collection, Europe (acquired from the above and sold: Sotheby's, London, June 24, 1993, lot 5)
Acquired at the above sale

This work is in very good condition overall. The canvas is unlined and well-stretched. The colors are vibrant, and the media layer is stable. A few intermittent white pinpoint surface accretions are scattered throughout the left quadrants of the work. Under ultraviolet light inspection, minor isolated areas of inpainting become apparent in the following locations: a ½-inch horizontal fine line in the upper center quadrant above the cube element; scattered pinpoint dots along the extreme left and right edges of the canvas; a one-inch area of pinpoint dots in the lower right quadrant below the square element.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

"Matta's discovery of the 'open cube' is of the greatest importance. Opening up the reality one wants to represent like a cube allows one to understand that what we perceive of the physical world is 'enclosed' and contradicts what we think. We are the crossroads of space. The paintings [Matta] produced with this procedure...compare and oppose perspective, reveal the violent and creative contrast between 'what one sees' and 'what one thinks.'"  -Alain Jouffroy, "Interview with Matta," in Matta (exhibition catalogue), Palacio de Cristal, Madrid, 1983, n.p. 



This work is included in the Archives de l'oeuvre de Matta.